Gourmet Coffee Corner

Espresso is the basic ingredient necessary for most complex coffee drinks, and once you’ve mastered the art of espresso making you should feel free to get creative. I like to prepare a cappuccino on Sunday mornings while listening to smooth jazz and doing the New York Times crossword puzzle. It’s a nice way to relax after a Saturday spent socializing. Make sure you have some time to kill when preparing this beverage. Also bear in mind that cappuccino makers can simplify this process immensely.

Before proceeding with this delicious cappuccino recipe, take a look back at our guide to frothing milk. A rich, foamy layer of milk is essential to any cup of cappuccino as it balances out the strong flavor of the espresso. Think about the contents of the drink in proportional terms: It should be one part coffee, one part hot milk and one part frothed milk. Europeans limit the size of their cappuccino to 6 or 7 ounces.

Begin by pouring the espresso in the bottom of the cup to serve as a base. Froth some milk and allow it to sit for a moment. Pour a bit of hot milk over the espresso until the cup is about two-thirds full, then shake some foamed milk over the top. If you’re serving the drink to a guest, you might want to spice up the decorative value by shaking some cocoa powder over top to sit on the foam.

Coffee means drastically different things to different people. For some, it’s the spark of energy that gets them through that morning funk. For others, the pursuit of the perfect cup of coffee is an obsession that can last a lifetime. If you’ve taken more than a passing interest in the beverage and its vast possibilities in terms of flavor and composition, it’s time to start exploring espresso.

As with any specific recipe, the rules of brewing espresso are rigid for a reason. Over time, aficionados have found that espresso tastes best when the water is heated between 190 and 195 degrees Fahrenheit. Solis espresso machines will automatically bring its thermostat to somewhere within that range. By the time the espresso hits your cup and is ready to be savored, it should be closer to 160 degrees.

Aside from water temperature, the pressure that’s applied to the coffee grounds makes a significant difference. According to most sources, a barista should impart about 30 pounds of pressure to make a single shot. It takes 7 grams of coffee to make one shot, and that should translate into an ounce or an ounce and a half of espresso. Play around with the settings on your espresso machine and don’t panic if you don’t end up with the perfect beverage in your first few tries.